The Shin Megami Tensei franchise is expanding further with the upcoming release of Soul Hackers 2. A sequel to a Sega Saturn spinoff series of the larger franchise, Soul Hackers 2 continues its predecessor’s combination of demon negotiations and cyberpunk aesthetics. In fact, the new game’s footage looks as if it’s right out of both Persona and fellow Atlus title, Catherine.
Releasing later this year, fans are eagerly anticipating Soul Hackers 2, especially since its announcement was such a surprise. Although some of its plot elements are still under wraps, a lot of what’s known about the gameplay is sure to have Megami Tensei enthusiasts ready to do some magical summoning themselves. Here’s what gamers should know about the upcoming sequel.
Soul Hackers 2’s Trailer
Soul Hackers 2 was announced with a trailer on February 21, surprising many who didn’t see it coming. The trailer shows how much the game takes advantage of its neon aesthetic, making it quite the departure from typical Megami Tensei games. Eschewing the usual dark and gritty atmosphere for something resembling the Persona series, the look and tone of Soul Hackers 2 seems to be far removed from the grungy feel of the original Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner. The gameplay still appears to involve negotiating with demons, however, retaining the sense of an M-rated version of Pokémon.
Along with many of the characters, including the laser gun-toting Ringo, bits of the gameplay are displayed in the trailer. This includes the turn-based battle system, which again combines elements of the Persona titles with the Press Turn System of the main series. Characters are also seen traversing areas outside of battle, with the sprawling cities feeling very bubble gum in how well-lit they are.
What Is Soul Hackers 2 About?
Soul Hackers 2‘s plot doesn’t seem to be related to any previous entries in the Devil Summoner sub-series, though there will likely be a lot of Easter eggs and homages. Set in the modern day, the story involves a war between devil summoning clans known as the Phantom Society and Yagatarasu. Aiding the Devil Summoners are Ringo and Figue, two beings born of the information highway.
Unfortunately for them, some of the people that they were tasked with protecting are already dead. As their lives were central to preventing a horrendous incident from occurring, this presents a bit of a problem. Ringo, a rare female protagonist in the series, has the power to revive others, so her actions will perhaps be the only chance to stave off the apocalypse.
News To Know About Soul Hackers 2
The staff behind Soul Hackers 2 are experienced veterans of the Shin Megami Tensei series, with one of the game’s directors, Eiji Ishida, having previously directed Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey. The art and music direction are handled by outsiders, however, with Monaca working on the music while manga artist, Shirow Miwa, was the main character designer. This explains the heavy anime and J-Pop influences on Soul Hackers 2, as Monaca had previously worked on numerous anime soundtracks.
Mitsuru Hirata, the game’s other director, had noted how popular Devil Summoner was as a spinoff series, but was tentative to return to it due to the extensive length of time since the original game had been released. Thus, it was decided to make the often-requested sequel to the second game in the subgroup, Soul Hackers. It had at least been ported to the Nintendo 3DS not so long ago.
When Will Soul Hackers 2 Release?
Though it was just recently announced, fans won’t have to wait too long to get ahold of Soul Hackers 2. The game is set for an August 25, release in Japan, with the game heading overseas the next day. This Japanese release will have quite a bit of extras commemorating the release of the original game in Japan 25 years ago. Likewise, there will also be crossover DLC for the game based on Persona 5, with characters donning the costumes of Phantom Thieves Joker, Skull, Panther, and Crow. They will also be able to battle to the tune of the Persona 5 boss theme, “Keeper of Lust.”
Atlus and its Western division will publish the game themselves in Japan and America, with parent company Sega doing so in Europe. Soul Hackers 2 will release for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Sony fans will be able to upgrade their PS4 version of the game to the PS5 for free, allowing them to hack souls in the current console generation.
About The Author
